Gabriella's POV

Later that day

I walked through the hospital doors. My stomach knotting at the thought of seeing my grandma so weak. The sight of her lying there, pale and frail, made my knees feel like jelly.

“Hi, Granny,” I said, forcing a smile as I held her hand. “How are you feeling today?”

She tried to sit up, her frail arms trembling. “I’m fine, baby. Don’t look so worried.”

I swallowed hard. “You don’t look fine to me. You’re… you’re too weak.”

She chuckled softly. “I’ve been through worse. Now, tell me—have you eaten today?”

I shook my head. “I barely had time… things have been… complicated.” I stopped myself before saying too much. I couldn’t tell her about Ben or losing my job—not now. She didn’t need that on top of everything.

She smiled, a faint but warm smile. “Granny just hopes you get married before I die,” she said, her voice weak but determined. “Promise me you’ll get married, Gabriella.”

I blinked back tears and nodded firmly. “Nothing will happen to you Granny.” I wiped away a few tears.

She chuckled weakly, "Look at me Gabriella, I am serious. I need to know you won't be alone when I'm gone, Your grandfather and I were separated years ago by that dreadful fire. I know how it feels to be alone. Please promise me, find a nice man to settle with."

I let out a sigh and held her hand gently, "Okay, I promise."

Her eyes softened, and she squeezed my hand. “That’s my girl. Don’t cry, you’re stronger than that.”

I let out a shaky breath and forced myself to stand, heading toward the front desk to settle the bill. My hands were trembling so badly I could barely pull out my phone to check my savings account.

My eyes widened in disbelief. “What the…?” I muttered under my breath, my voice shaking. “Ben… he… he withdrew a thousand dollars from our joint account?!”

I pressed my hands to my face and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m… I’m broke. Just… completely broke,” I whispered to myself, the words tasting bitter. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

I turned to the nurse behind the desk, trying to force a calm tone. “I—I’ll pay soon, please. Just let her go through with the surgery. She… she can’t wait. Please.”

The nurse shook her head firmly, her expression unreadable. “I’m sorry, Miss Brooks. We cannot proceed until full payment is made.”

I felt my stomach drop. “You don’t understand! I just need… a little more time. She’s… she’s very sick! Please, don’t make her suffer!”

“I’m sorry,” the nurse said again, her tone firm but not cruel. “Hospital rules are rules. No payment, no surgery.”

I looked around, desperate. The hospital corridor seemed suddenly huge and suffocating, full of people who didn’t know me, didn’t care. My fists clenched so tight that my nails dug into my palms. “There has to be something I can do…” I muttered to myself. “A loan, a payment plan, anything!”

The nurse folded her arms. “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can do without authorization from the finance department. You’ll have to come back with full payment.”

I slammed my hand lightly on the counter, catching a few startled glances. “Full payment?! Do you know how much that is to me? Do you know what my life is like? She’s my grandma, for god’s sake!”

The nurse didn’t flinch. “I’m sorry. Rules are rules. We can’t make exceptions.”

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks, a mix of frustration, fear, and helplessness. I could feel tears prickling my eyes. “I… I’ll figure something out. I promise,” I whispered, my voice barely audible as I clutched the poster in my bag like a lifeline. “I’ll figure something out, I swear.”

I stepped back from the counter, letting out a shuddering breath. “Why does everything have to happen at once?” I murmured to myself, feeling the weight of my empty wallet and broken trust settle heavily on my shoulders. “First Ben, then my job, now this… what else?”

I walked back to my grandma’s ward, feeling like I was carrying the weight of the world. I sank into the chair beside her bed, forcing a fake smile. “Hey, Granny… want to hear something funny?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Hmm? What now?”

I leaned closer and began rattling off a ridiculous story about my morning shift at the coffee shop, the one where I accidentally spilled coffee on a customer. I exaggerated it just enough to make her giggle.

She laughed softly, and I almost cried with relief. “You always know how to make me laugh,” she said.

I held her hand tighter. “I’ll always make you laugh, Granny. No matter what.”

As her laughter faded, I whispered to myself, “How am I going to get the money? I can’t even pay for the surgery, and I just… I just lost my job.” I clutched the poster I had been given, gripping it like it was my lifeline. “Maybe… maybe this is my chance. I have to try.”

I looked at her again, smiling through my fear. “Granny… I promise. I’ll figure this out. I won’t let you down.”